JP4439145B2 - Tracking control method of spherical moving body and spherical moving body - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a traveling movement control of a spherical moving body that moves on the inner and outer surfaces of a spherical holder used as, for example, a city gas tank, and more specifically, while being in contact with the spherical surface by a plurality of traveling wheels. The present invention also relates to a tracking control method for a spherical moving body that travels following the tracking target while detecting the position of the tracking target such as a welding line on the sphere, or to such a spherical moving body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As shown in FIG. 9, the spherical holder used for city gas storage or the like has a weld line 8 in the longitudinal direction and the weft direction, and the weld line 8 is inspected every 10 years. There is a need.
[0003]
Conventionally, the inspection of the welding line 8 uses an inspection device provided on the spherical moving body by peeling off the coating of the spherical holder along the welding line and moving the spherical moving body along the welding line. Done.
[0004]
The spherical moving body for this purpose is normally detected by detecting the position of the welding line by a welding line position detection sensor, as disclosed in a welding line automatic follower (Japanese Patent Application No. 11-089258, etc.). Based on the result, follow-up traveling along the weld line is performed. Therefore, the control is in a so-called feedback form.
[0005]
As shown in FIG. 1, this type of spherical moving body is usually provided with magnetic adsorption wheels as a pair of left and right traveling wheels 3 in the front-rear direction of the moving body, and the rotational speeds of the traveling wheels provided on the left and right sides are independent. Be controlled. In a straight traveling on a plane, a straight traveling can be performed by rotating a pair of left and right traveling wheels at a constant speed, and a steering traveling can be performed by increasing or decreasing the speed of one of the traveling wheels from the other.
[0006]
Accordingly, in the follow-up traveling, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, the distance of the center position in the width direction of the spherical traveling body from the weld line (the position of the welding line), and further, posture information on the spherical surface of the spherical traveling body (here The attitude information is the inclination of the longitudinal direction of the weld line and the longitudinal direction of the spherical moving body), and the detection result is input to the tracking control device 5, and the tracking control device 5 tracks the tracking target. Speed information for the left and right traveling wheels (actually, speed difference information that is steering information), which is necessary control information, is generated and sent to each drive motor for follow-up traveling.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the inspection of the weld line provided in the equilatitude direction, the operator may conventionally perform a trajectory correction.
Such a trajectory correction is necessary and obstructed relatively frequently when the spherical traveling body travels on the south pole side, which is the lower surface of the spherical surface.
[0008]
An object of the present application is, for example, to obtain a tracking control method and a spherical moving body that can reduce trajectory correction by an operator or the like as much as possible even when the spherical body moving body moves in an equal latitude direction.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In completing the invention of the present application, the inventors have repeatedly studied the cause of the failure to perform good follow-up when the spherical traveling body travels at the same latitude on the southern hemisphere side, and studied the solution. As a result, the following two types of disturbance factors were found.
[0010]
1 Influence of gravity
When the spherical moving body travels while being in contact with the spherical surface, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the spherical moving body itself is affected by its own weight G, and the movement of the spherical moving body to the vertically lower side is caused by this own weight. appear.
Therefore, the influence of the gravity should be eliminated. However, the influence of the gravity G affects the component that affects the contact pressure of the traveling wheel in the direction orthogonal to the traveling surface and the direction along the spherical surface. There is a component S that works in the moving direction.
Moreover, the division of this component depends on the latitude α of the spherical moving body.
Therefore, depending on the latitude at which the spherical moving body exists, this sliding factor should be removed.
[0011]
2 Effects of travel path differences in traveling at equal latitudes
Usually, the spherical moving body is configured to include a pair of left and right traveling wheels that are equally distributed to the left and right with respect to the center of the moving body.
Then, there is a case where the spherical traveling body is placed in the latitude direction at the start of traveling and starts traveling, that is, traveling is started while taking a traveling body posture in which the center of the moving body coincides with the spherical latitude line.
In such a situation, when the left and right traveling wheels travel at a constant speed, in the southern hemisphere, as shown in FIG. The circle SC1) is longer in circumferential length than the equal-latitude traveling movement route (small circle SC2) to be drawn by the traveling wheels located on the higher latitude side.
[0012]
In other words, when the left and right traveling wheels start traveling at the same speed and in the equal latitude direction with the attitude of the spherical moving body aligned with the latitude line, the spherical moving body is oriented toward the North Pole side, that is, a large sphere. Draw a running track along a circle.
[0013]
In this case, the circumferential length of the equilatitude traveling movement route is an amount depending on the latitude α of the spherical moving body. Therefore, in order to suppress such a change in posture, it is based on the difference between the contact latitudes of the traveling wheels. Control that is commensurate with the amount caused by the difference in travel path (relation) is required.
For example, in the case of the Southern Hemisphere, it is necessary to increase the speed in accordance with the travel distance at low latitude and the contact latitude.
In addition, as will be shown later, there is a case where a certain relationship is established between the traveling direction along the great circle that naturally occurs as described above and the following traveling direction. Necessary.
[0014]
  Therefore, in this application, in order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose,BodyFollow-up control methodLaw andThe following configuration is adopted.
[0015]
  In other words, a spherical movement that moves while following the following target while detecting the position of the following target on the sphere while contacting the sphere surface by a plurality of traveling wheels.BodyAs described in claim 1,
  Latitude information of the spherical moving body is detected on the sphere with both poles in the vertical direction being the north and south poles.A latitude information detecting means for
  By the latitude information detecting meansBased on the detected latitude information,
  HeavyFirst movement suppression control that suppresses the downward movement of the sphere by forceinformationAlternatively, the second movement suppression control that suppresses the movement of the plurality of traveling wheels from the equal latitude as the follow-up target due to a difference in ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels.informationAny one or more ofA movement suppression control information generating means for generating,
  On the basis of the suppression control information generated by the movement suppression control information generating means, the configuration performs a traveling movement following the tracking target,
  In the case where the spherical body travels on the southern hemisphere, the first movement suppression control information is based on the latitude information, and the control information that promotes the upward movement as the spherical moving body moves at a low latitude. IsI will do it.
  Further, the tracking control method of the spherical moving body configured as described above includes the latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere having both poles in the vertical direction as the north and south poles, as described in claim 5. Based on the detected latitude information,
  First movement suppression control that suppresses movement of the spherical moving body toward the lower side of the sphere due to gravity, or the plurality of traveling wheels become the following target due to a difference in ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels, etc. With one or more of the second movement suppression control to suppress movement out of latitude,
  In the case of traveling on the southern hemisphere of the sphere, the first movement suppression control is a control that promotes a vertically upward movement as the spherical moving body moves at a low latitude based on the latitude information. .
[0016]
  Moreover, in this application, the following structure is employ | adopted as another structure of the spherical surface moving body for achieving said objective, and its tracking control method.
  That is,A spherical moving body that travels following the tracking target while detecting the position of the tracking target on the sphere while contacting the spherical surface with a plurality of traveling wheels.Another configuration ofAs described in claim 2,
  With latitude information detecting means for detecting latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere having both poles in the vertical direction as north and south poles,
  Based on the latitude information detected by the latitude information detecting means,
  The first movement suppression control information that suppresses the downward movement of the sphere due to gravity, or the movement of the plurality of traveling wheels out of the equal latitude as the tracking target due to the difference in the ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels. A movement suppression control information generating means for generating any one or more of the second movement suppression control information for suppressing
  Based on the suppression control information generated by the movement suppression control information generating means, the vehicle travels following the tracking target.In the configuration
  The first movement suppression control information sets an imaginary target position vertically above the actual target position based on the latitude information with respect to the actual target position set from the position detection result of the tracking target, Control information that travels following the imaginary target positionAnd
  Further, the tracking control method of the spherical moving body configured as described above includes the latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere having both poles in the vertical direction as the north and south poles. Based on the detected latitude information,
  First movement suppression control that suppresses movement of the spherical moving body toward the lower side of the sphere due to gravity, or the plurality of traveling wheels become the following target due to a difference in ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels, etc. With one or more of the second movement suppression control to suppress movement out of latitude,
  The first movement suppression control sets an imaginary target position vertically above the actual target position based on the latitude information with respect to the actual target position set from the position detection result of the tracking target, and This is a control for performing traveling movement following the target position.
[0017]
Both of the two types of disturbance factors as described above are caused by spherical traveling, and the latitude at which the spherical traveling body is located becomes a problem. First, latitude information of the spherical traveling body is captured. This latitude information is detected by latitude information detection means, and this latitude information is used.
[0018]
In order to suppress the influence of gravity, based on the latitude information of the spherical traveling body, first movement suppression control is performed to suppress the downward movement of the sphere based on the influence of gravity. Information for executing this control is first movement suppression control information.
Such information can be, for example, information that performs steering only to cancel the traveling movement caused by the sliding component determined by the latitude information. As a result, the spherical moving body is affected by its own weight. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid a situation in which good follow-up traveling movement cannot be performed.
[0019]
The second movement suppression control is mainly intended to absorb disturbance caused by the difference between the contact latitudes of a plurality of traveling wheels.For example, considering the difference in equal latitude travel movement paths determined by each contact latitude. This difference is controlled by canceling this difference, or by adjusting the gain of the following control based on the relationship between the traveling direction along the great circle of the sphere and the following traveling direction. Disturbances can be avoided. This control is based on the second movement suppression control information.
[0020]
Specifically, when based on the route difference, the traveling wheel speed on the low latitude side is relatively fast and the traveling wheel speed on the high latitude side is relatively slow.
[0021]
In the above description, the suppression control for responding to each of the two factors that are disturbance factors in the follow-up control has been described. However, these suppression controls can be applied only by any one type, Improving the followability is significant in terms of reducing disturbance factors. Therefore, the follow-up control method only needs to be accompanied by one or more types of suppression control.
[0022]
On the other hand, in terms of apparatus, the movement suppression control information generation means generates either the first or second movement suppression information, and performs follow-up control based on (in addition to) the suppression control information. .
[0023]
When both of these two types of suppression control are performed, it is possible to remove almost all main disturbances related to the latitude at which the spherical traveling body is located, and good tracking control can be performed.
In this case, all of the first and second movement suppression control information can be generated by the movement suppression control information generation means, and the following traveling movement in a state in which all of these control information are combined can be performed.
[0024]
  In the spherical moving body as described above,1In the case of traveling on the southern hemisphere of the sphere, the first movement suppression control informationTheBased on the latitude information, the control information for performing the control for promoting the upward movement as the spherical moving body moves in the lower latitude.And
[0025]
In the case of movement on a spherical surface as in the present application, the sliding component applied to the spherical moving body due to gravity depends on the latitude, and this sliding component decreases as the latitude increases.
Therefore, for example, as the latitude information is lower, the vertical upward movement is ensured, so that the contribution to the traveling movement due to gravity can be reduced.
[0026]
  And claims2As described in the above, the first movement control suppression informationTheThe imaginary target position that is vertically above the actual target position is set based on the latitude information with respect to the actual target position set from the position detection result of the following target, and the follow-up movement based on the imaginary target position is performed. Control information to controlAnd
[0027]
In the tracking control, while detecting the position of the tracking target such as the position of the welding line, this position is set as the actual target position, and a predetermined position of the spherical moving body (usually a reference position set in the detection sensor) Follow-up control is executed so as to match the actual target position (so that the reference position matches the actual target position and there is no deviation between them).
[0028]
Therefore, the actual target position is uniquely determined from the detection result of the tracking target, but in the control method of the present application, the imaginary target position vertically above the actual target position is This imaginary target position is set as the target position for follow-up control. That is, it is assumed that the target position is substantially moved upward in the vertical direction. This amount of movement can also be based on latitude.
[0029]
When the follow-up running control based on the imaginary target position is performed, the target position for the predetermined amount of traveling movement is substantially set to the upper side by the amount corresponding to the sliding amount due to gravity, so as to cancel the influence of gravity. It is possible to follow the vehicle in a state where
[0030]
Furthermore, the effect of setting such an imaginary target position and running following this target is the effect of effective use of the sensor detection area when the target position as shown in the following example is detected by an array type sensor. Can also be played.
That is, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), when the spherical traveling body is in the southern hemisphere, the sensor located at the north pole position in the width direction of the array type sensor has a probability that the target line is directly under the slip caused by gravity. On the contrary, a sensor on the south pole side has a low probability that the target line is located immediately below.
[0031]
That is, in this case, the array sensor on the south pole side is not actually used. However, when tracking is performed according to the imaginary target position, even if slippage occurs, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), this situation can be eliminated, and the array arranged in the width direction of the array type sensor. The whole can be used effectively.
[0032]
  Now, claims3As described in the above, from the ground contact latitude of each of the plurality of traveling wheels obtained from the latitude information, a relationship of the traveling travel path length when the traveling wheels each travel at an equal latitude is obtained, and this traveling travel path The second movement suppression control information is preferably generated based on the long relationship.
[0033]
In this second movement suppression control, the latitude of each traveling wheel is obtained from the latitude information, and the traveling path length when traveling at an equal latitude at the latitude position of these traveling wheels is obtained. Here, the relationship between the travel route lengths (for example, the travel route length ratio) is a physical quantity determined by the latitude on the sphere, and has a certain relationship with the latitude.
[0034]
The relationship (for example, the ratio) of the travel path length is related to the apparent steering amount generated from the equal latitude when the travel wheels travel at the same speed in the equal latitude direction. It is assumed that second movement suppression control information based on the relationship (ratio) is generated and the apparent steering amount is adjusted.
[0035]
By doing in this way, due to the difference in latitude at which a plurality of traveling wheels are located, it is possible to suppress movement in the case where apparent steering works on the equilatitude line.
[0036]
  And claims4As described in the above, based on information on both the latitude information and the position of the tracking target, the travel direction of the great circle when traveling along the great circle of the sphere, and the position of the tracking target Preferably, the second movement suppression control information is generated from the relationship with the follow-up running direction when the follow-up running is performed based only on the vehicle.
  As described above, the traveling of the spherical traveling body is directed in the direction along the great circle of the sphere when both the left and right wheels are at the same speed. This situation is shown in FIGS.
  In the state shown in the figure (traveling from left to right), the spherical traveling body travels in the direction approaching the equator in any case, but this great circle traveling direction and the following traveling direction are Depending on the position of the tracking target (Tf shown in FIG. 4), the direction may coincide with the opposite direction.
[0037]
Taking the situation of FIG. 4 (a) as an example, as shown by the solid line, when the tracking target is Tf and the spherical traveling body is in the southern hemisphere and is located on the south pole side, the following traveling direction (following) The traveling direction approaching the target) and the traveling direction along the great circle are the same direction (north direction). In this case, the gain of the follow-up control can be reduced.
[0038]
On the other hand, as shown by a broken line, when the spherical traveling body is in the southern hemisphere and is located on the north pole side from the tracking target, the tracking traveling direction (the traveling direction approaching the tracking target) and the traveling direction along the great circle are opposite directions ( Therefore, in this case, it is not possible to return to the tracking target unless the gain of the tracking control is increased.
[0039]
  Therefore, as described above, based on the relationship between the following traveling direction when performing the following traveling that depends only on the following target position and the great circle traveling direction that is the traveling direction along the great circle of the sphere, for example, both directions Is set to a small value for follow-up traveling based only on the difference between the follow-up position and the reference position of the traveling mobile body, and if both directions are opposite with respect to the north and south poles of the sphere, follow-up Second movement suppression control that adjusts gain by setting a large control gain, etc.informationIt is possible to enable a good traveling state by generating.
[0040]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The structure of the spherical moving body of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the spherical moving body 1 includes a pair of left and right traveling wheels (magnetic adsorption wheels) 3 before and after the moving body 2.
Each of the traveling wheels 3 is provided with a drive motor 4 independently, and the rotation drive command for each of the drive motors 4 is controlled by control information (left and right travel) from the control device 50 as shown in FIG. The speed control of the wheel).
[0041]
The spherical moving body 1 can be steered and moved while being attracted to the outer surface or inner surface of a sphere (spherical holder) 6 by a magnetic attraction force. In steering, the traveling speed is appropriately controlled between the pair of left and right traveling wheels 3.
[0042]
As shown in FIG. 1, the spherical moving body 1 includes a moving body main body 2 in the width direction of the moving body (the moving body left-right direction) which is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and both directions of the moving body 1. ) Is provided with a three-axis tilt sensor (three-dimensional gravitational acceleration sensor) 7 that combines the three axes. Information on the sphere 6 of the movable body 2 can be obtained by the output of the three-axis tilt sensor 7.
[0043]
Here, the information obtained from the output of the three-axis tilt sensor 7 is the latitude on the sphere where the mobile body 2 is located and the tilt direction relative to the longitudinal meridian of the mobile body 2.
However, in the moving body, this inclination direction is obtained as a form of inclination with respect to the latitude line, and also as inclination with respect to the meridian or latitude line in the width direction of the moving body, with conversion.
[0044]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the spherical moving body 1 includes a welding line position detection sensor that detects a position of a welding line 8 that is a follow-up target in the traveling movement of the moving body at a position near the tip of the moving body 2. 9 is provided.
The weld line position detection sensor 9 is an array type detection sensor, and the parallel arrangement direction of the array is the moving body main body width direction.
[0045]
When the longitudinal direction of the movable body 2 is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the weld line 8 and the central position in the width direction of the movable body 2 is located on the weld line 8, the array parallel direction center The element 9a located at is configured to detect the weld line 8.
[0046]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a storage means 10 is provided which stores the position of the triaxial tilt sensor 7, the position of the weld line position detection sensor 9, and the position of the pair of front and rear, left and right traveling wheels 3. Based on the information stored in the storage means 10, traveling wheel ground latitude deriving means 11 for deriving the ground latitude of the pair of front and rear, left and right traveling wheels 3 from at least information obtained from the three-axis tilt sensor 7. It has.
[0047]
The outputs from the three-axis tilt sensor 7 and the weld line position detection sensor 9 are output from the follow-up control means 5 provided in the control device 50 based on these outputs as follow-up control information for the left and right traveling wheels 3. Generated.
[0048]
This follow-up control information is follow-up control so that the center of the array arrangement direction of the weld line position detection sensor 9 described above comes on the weld line 8. In the present application, the position of the weld line 8 actually detected with respect to the center of the array side-by-side direction is referred to as an actual target position Tr (see FIG. 3 (A)).
[0049]
Further, the processing based on the information from the triaxial tilt sensor 7 is, for example, control for matching the front-rear direction of the movable body 2 with the equal latitude direction when the welding line 8 is in the equal latitude direction.
[0050]
In the follow-up control means 5, follow-up control information is generated as described above. However, in the spherical moving body 1 of the present application, each grounding of the traveling wheels 3 is performed by the traveling wheel grounding latitude deriving means 11. The latitude is also derived from the detection information from the sensors 7 and 9 and the storage information stored in the storage means 10.
[0051]
The spherical moving body 1 of the present application is configured to be able to perform two types of movement suppression control for suppressing the traveling movement that is a disturbance to the follow-up control described above.
As shown in FIG. 2, the movement suppression control information is generated by predetermined function means (imaginary target position setting means 5a) and trajectory prediction control means 12 provided in the follow-up control means 5. ing.
Hereinafter, each control will be described.
[0052]
1 First movement suppression control
This control is a control that suppresses the mobile body 2 from sliding down the sphere due to its own weight G. For example, as shown in FIG. It receives sliding force S due to its own weight.
Therefore, in the follow-up control means 5, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the actual target position Tr is located above the actual target position Tr based on the detected latitude information α (on the south pole side). Is set to the low-latitude side imaginary target position Tf, and follow-up control based on the imaginary target position Tf is performed.
[0053]
The imaginary target position Tf will be described in detail. From the latitude information α, when the spherical moving body 1 is in the northern hemisphere, Tf = Tr, and when it is in the southern hemisphere, Tf = Tr + t. Here, t is a constant value such as 5 mm, and the imaginary target position is set to the north pole side by this value from the actual target position. Here, the weld line is about 20 mm.
In this first movement suppression control, the imaginary target position becomes the first movement suppression control information. The first movement suppression control information is generated by the imaginary target position setting unit 5a described above. Therefore, this means is a kind of movement suppression control information generating means.
[0054]
2 Second movement suppression control
The second movement suppression control takes the following two forms.
The first form is for absorbing the difference in travel route caused by the contact latitude between the pair of left and right traveling wheels, and the second form is for traveling with respect to the latitude of the traveling body itself and the position of the following target. This is due to whether the moving body is on the pole side or the equator side.
Hereinafter, it demonstrates in order.
2-1 Second movement suppression control of the first form
This control is based on the difference between the contact latitudes of the pair of left and right traveling wheels 3 and when the traveling wheels 3 travel at a constant speed in the equal latitude direction, the traveling wheels are separated from the equal latitude traveling. It suppresses movement.
[0055]
Specifically, when the traveling wheel 3 travels at an equal latitude from the grounding latitude of each of the plurality of traveling wheels 3 determined by the traveling wheel grounding latitude deriving means 11 while keeping the grounding latitude, respectively. The travel speed is adjusted so that the travel travel path length can travel and travel in the same time between the left and right traveling wheels.
[0056]
That is, based on the travel path length, the second movement suppression control information of the first form is generated so that apparent steering based on this path length does not occur.
In this case, when the spherical moving body 1 moves in the same latitude direction in the southern hemisphere, the speed of the traveling wheel on the low latitude side is increased by the amount proportional to the ratio of the traveling path length. It will be slower than the speed.
For example, when the speeds of the left and right wheels before control are described as (V right, V left), after the control, the latitude of the right wheel is α2 and the latitude of the left wheel is α1 as shown in FIG. Then, the speeds of the new left and right wheels are set as (V right × cos (α1) / cos (α2), V left).
By doing so, it is possible to absorb traveling along a great circle based on the difference in ground contact latitude between the two wheels. In this case, cos (α1) / cos (α2) is the second movement suppression control information of the first form. This information is generated by the track prediction control means 12 described above and added to the speed information of the left and right traveling wheels.
[0057]
2-2 Second movement suppression control of the second form
In the above-mentioned first form, the movement suppression control was performed based only on the latitude information, but this second form has the meaning of gain adjustment in follow-up control, and this gain adjustment is It is based on both the latitude situation and the position of the tracking target.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 described above.
FIG. 4 shows the case where the spherical moving body 1 is on the south pole side in (a) and the case in which it is on the north pole side (b). In any case, it is assumed that the traveling state moves from the left side to the right side, and the spherical moving body 1 is on the left hemisphere side of the sphere 6.
[0058]
In this case, it is assumed that the first movement suppression control is working, and the tracking target of the spherical moving body 1 is at the imaginary target position Tf shown in FIG.
Taking the case of being on the southern hemisphere side as an example, in FIG. 4A, the spherical moving body 1 indicated by a solid line is on the south pole side with respect to the tracking target. On the other hand, the spherical moving body 1 indicated by a broken line is on the north pole side with respect to the tracking target.
[0059]
In these cases, if the latitude information of the spherical moving body 1 is not taken into consideration, the following traveling is controlled toward the imaginary target position Tf, but at the same time, the spherical traveling body 1 and the traveling wheels 3 are along the latitude line. When it is in the posture, it tries to run along the great circle of the sphere 6.
[0060]
That is, the following traveling direction is controlled in a direction approaching the imaginary target position Tf in both the spherical traveling body 1 indicated by a solid line and the spherical traveling body 1 indicated by a broken line. On the other hand, the great circle traveling direction is a direction approaching the imaginary target position Tf in the spherical traveling body 1 at the position indicated by the solid line, and this direction coincides with the following traveling direction. On the contrary, in the spherical traveling body 1 at the position indicated by the broken line, the traveling direction is away from the imaginary target position Tf, and this direction is opposite to the following traveling direction.
[0061]
Therefore, when the position is indicated by the former solid line, the follow-up control gain can be reduced, and when the latter position is indicated by the broken line, it is necessary to increase the follow-up control gain. Furthermore, this degree depends on the latitude α.
[0062]
This situation is shown in FIG. In the figure, (a) shows the case where the traveling mobile body 1 is on the south pole side with respect to the follow target, and (b) shows the case on the north pole side. In these drawings, it is necessary to make some follow-up control on the low latitude side (latitude α, imaginary target position Tf in FIG. 5), whereas on the high latitude side (latitude α ′, imaginary target position Tf ′ in FIG. 5). Then, it is shown that it is not really necessary.
[0063]
Specifically, for example, when the imaginary target position Tf is set as the tracking target, the speed difference of the tracking control of the running wheel that is necessary only in the tracking control without executing the movement suppression control along the great circle direction is expressed as ΔV ( In the case of “following Tf)”, the speed difference for the following is adjusted as follows.
[0064]
a When located on the south pole side with respect to the imaginary target position Tf
This case corresponds to the case indicated by the solid line in FIG.
In this case, the follow-up travel generates a speed difference in a direction approaching the imaginary target. However, since the great-circle travel direction matches this direction, the gain of the follow-up control may be small.
Furthermore, since the degree can be reduced as the latitude increases, the object of the present application can be achieved by setting the following speed difference as shown in FIG.
[0065]
[Expression 1]
Speed difference of traveling wheel ΔV (following Tf) × (1−bcos (α))
Here, α is the latitude of the spherical traveling body, and b is a positive constant less than 1.
[0066]
When such control is performed, since the latitude α is close to 0 at a position close to the equator, substantially only the first movement suppression control is executed. On the other hand, as the distance from the equator increases, the spherical traveling body moves along a great circle, and the vehicle travels closer to the imaginary target position even if the gain on the tracking side is reduced.
[0067]
b When located on the north pole side with respect to the imaginary target position Tf
This case corresponds to the case indicated by a broken line in FIG.
In this case, the follow-up travel generates a speed difference in the direction approaching the imaginary target, but the great-circle travel direction is opposite to this direction, and thus it is necessary to increase the gain of follow-up control.
Furthermore, as the latitude increases, the degree needs to be increased as shown in FIG.
If it shows similarly to the above, the objective of this application can be achieved by setting it as the following speed differences.
[0068]
[Expression 2]
Traveling wheel speed difference ΔV (follow-up Tf) × (1 + b cos (α))
Here, α is the latitude of the spherical traveling body, and b is a positive constant less than 1.
[0069]
When such control is performed, since α is close to 0 at a position close to the equator, substantially only the first movement suppression control is executed. On the other hand, as the distance from the equator increases, the spherical traveling body moves along a great circle.On the other hand, the follow-up control side can be enlarged, and as a result, it approaches the imaginary target position. Control becomes possible.
Here, the coefficient term of the above equation becomes the second movement suppression control information, and such information is also generated by the trajectory prediction control means 12 and sent to the follow-up control means 5 side for use. Therefore, the trajectory prediction control means 12 is also a kind of movement suppression control information generation means referred to in the present application.
[0070]
As described above, the control structure in the case where the movement suppression control of the present application is executed for the left and right traveling wheels 3 is shown in FIG.
Now, the traveling control configuration of the present application can be organized as follows.
1 Driving with the following target position as the imaginary target position Tf
2 The second movement suppression control of the second form is performed with the follow target position as the imaginary target position Tf (the control structure in this case is shown in FIG. 6).
3 The second movement suppression control of the first form is performed with the follow target position as the imaginary target position Tf (the control structure in this case is shown in FIG. 7).
In the example shown in FIG. 7, the information from the weld line position detection sensor is also used as basic information for the trajectory prediction control of the left and right traveling wheels.
[0071]
In this spherical moving body 1, the tracking control of the feedback form is performed by performing the movement suppression control for suppressing the disturbance that is an inherent problem when traveling on the sphere in the feedback control of the feedback form. It can be good with less.
[0072]
【The invention's effect】
Currently, in the inspection of the weld line, the operator corrects the trajectory as appropriate, but the invention of the present application enables long-distance automatic traveling that is longer than the related application. This improves work efficiency and can be expected to reduce costs.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a spherical moving body of the present application
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a control system that executes follow-up control and movement suppression control
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of elements that cause disturbance in follow-up travel movement.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the following traveling direction and the great circle traveling direction.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the second movement suppression control of the second form in consideration of the imaginary target position.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram when executing follow-up control with second movement suppression control according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when executing follow-up control with second movement suppression control according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional control system with only tracking control
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the arrangement of welding lines in a spherical holder
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Spherical moving body
2 Mobile body
3 running wheels (magnetic adsorption wheels)
4 Drive motor
5 Tracking control means
5a False target position setting means
6 Sphere (Spherical holder)
7 3-axis tilt sensor
8 Welding line
9 Welding line position detection sensor
9a Center element
10 Memory means
11 Driving wheel grounding latitude deriving means
12 Orbit prediction control means
50 Control device
C Sphere center
G Weight
SC small circle
S sliding force
Tr Actual target position
Tf False target position

Claims (6)

A spherical moving body that travels following the tracking target while detecting the position of the tracking target on the sphere while contacting the spherical surface with a plurality of traveling wheels,
With latitude information detecting means for detecting latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere having both poles in the vertical direction as north and south poles ,
Based on the latitude information detected by the latitude information detecting means ,
The first movement restraining control information inhibits the movement towards the sphere downwardly by gravity, or, the plurality of running wheels due to the difference in ground latitude of the plurality of running wheels are disengaged from the equal latitude serving as the tracking target A movement suppression control information generating means for generating any one or more of the second movement suppression control information for suppressing movement;
On the basis of the suppression control information generated by the movement suppression control information generating means, the configuration performs a traveling movement following the tracking target,
In the case where the spherical body travels on the southern hemisphere, the first movement suppression control information is based on the latitude information, and the control information that promotes the upward movement as the spherical moving body moves at a low latitude. A spherical moving body . A spherical moving body that travels following the tracking target while detecting the position of the tracking target on the sphere while contacting the spherical surface with a plurality of traveling wheels,
With latitude information detecting means for detecting latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere having both poles in the vertical direction as north and south poles,
Based on the latitude information detected by the latitude information detecting means,
The first movement suppression control information that suppresses the downward movement of the sphere due to gravity, or the movement of the plurality of traveling wheels out of the equal latitude as the tracking target due to the difference in the ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels. A movement suppression control information generating means for generating any one or more of the second movement suppression control information for suppressing
Said mobile based on suppression control information generated by the suppression control information generating means, a travel movement to follow the target follow-up in rows as will arrangement,
The first movement suppression control information sets an imaginary target position vertically above the actual target position based on the latitude information with respect to the actual target position set from the position detection result of the tracking target, A spherical moving body which is control information for performing traveling movement following the imaginary target position . Based on the ground contact latitude of each of the plurality of traveling wheels determined from the latitude information, a relationship of traveling travel path lengths when the traveling wheels each travel at an equal latitude is obtained, and based on the relationship of the traveling travel path lengths, the first The spherical moving body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two movement suppression control information is generated . Based on the information of both the latitude information and the position of the tracking target, the vehicle travels according to the great circle traveling direction when traveling along the great circle of the sphere and only the position of the tracking target. 3. The spherical moving body according to claim 1, wherein the second movement suppression control information is generated from a relationship with a following traveling direction . A tracking control method for a spherical moving body that travels following and follows the tracking target while detecting the position of the tracking target on the sphere while contacting the spherical surface with a plurality of traveling wheels,
Detecting the latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere with both poles in the vertical direction as the north and south poles, based on the detected latitude information,
First movement suppression control that suppresses movement of the spherical moving body toward the lower side of the sphere due to gravity, or the plurality of traveling wheels become the following target due to a difference in ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels, etc. With one or more of the second movement suppression control to suppress movement out of latitude,
In the case of traveling on the southern hemisphere of the sphere, the first movement suppression control is a control that promotes a vertically upward movement as the spherical moving body moves at a low latitude based on the latitude information. A tracking control method for a spherical moving body. A tracking control method for a spherical moving body that travels following and follows the tracking target while detecting the position of the tracking target on the sphere while contacting the spherical surface with a plurality of traveling wheels,
Detecting the latitude information of the spherical moving body on the sphere with both poles in the vertical direction as the north and south poles, based on the detected latitude information,
First movement suppression control that suppresses movement of the spherical moving body toward the lower side of the sphere due to gravity, or the plurality of traveling wheels become the following target due to a difference in ground contact latitude of the plurality of traveling wheels, etc. With one or more of the second movement suppression control to suppress movement out of latitude,
The first movement suppression control sets an imaginary target position vertically above the actual target position based on the latitude information with respect to the actual target position set from the position detection result of the tracking target, and A tracking control method for a spherical moving body, which is a control for performing a traveling movement following a target position.

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